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Loice Mbano and Tryphine Ndlovu hold their babies who were born on New Year’s Day at Mpilo Hospital’s maternity ward in Bulawayo yesterday

Thandeka Moyo/ Walter Mswazie, Chronicle Reporters
A TOTAL of 30 babies were delivered on New Year’s Day at Bulawayo’s two major public hospitals — Mpilo Central and United Bulawayo Hospitals.

No deliveries were recorded at Catholic-run Mater Dei Hospital on the same day.

Among the babies born at Mpilo, 13 were male, while eight were female. An official at UBH said a total of nine babies, four boys and five girls, were delivered.

Mpilo Central Hospital’s chief executive officer Mr Leonard Mabandi said all the babies delivered at the institution and their mothers were in good health and awaiting to be discharged.

“Our biggest baby weighed 4,1kg and the smallest weighed 2kg. We did not have twins this time and only two mothers delivered through the Caesarean section,” he said.

One of the mothers who delivered at Mpilo Central Hospital, Ms Loreen Magaya, said she was delighted to be holding her bundle of joy born on the first day of the year.

“We have named my daughter Alvinant Anna and she was born at exactly 3.25 PM,” said Ms Magaya at the hospital yesterday.

Last year on January 1, 22 babies were born at Mpilo while 10 were delivered at UBH.

Meanwhile, in Masvingo, 30 babies were born on New Year’s Day at some of the province’s public and private hospitals.

Morgenster Mission Hospital topped the list with six deliveries.

A senior official at the institution who asked not to be named said the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe-run health centre had five girls and one boy.

At Gutu Mission Hospital three deliveries were recorded, but it could not be ascertained how many were boys or girls.  Silveira Mission Hospital in Bikita recorded four births, all girls.

At Neshuro Hospital in Mwenezi, a nurse said five babies were delivered, two boys and three girls. Ndanga District Hospital in Zaka district had three deliveries, all girls, while Musiso Mission Hospital in the same district had two deliveries, both boys.

Chiredzi District Hospital had four deliveries, two girls and two boys. An official at Chibi District Hospital said they had three deliveries, all boys.

@thamamoe